In the Dark of the Night
by 18lzytwner
Summary: A botched rescue mission leads to trouble with the Mutants while Lion-O struggles to sleep as reoccurring nightmares plague him. What happens when both seemingly collide? 1st of Brand New Series!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello all! I'm back! Hope you enjoy! :)**

* * *

**I****n**** the Dark of the Night**

**By**

**18lzytwner**

**Chapter 1**

As the sun faded over the distant mountains and the planet of New Thundera got ready for the ritual of putting her children to bed, a ship out of control careened toward the planet's airspace.

"This is cargo transport Three Delta Niner requesting immediate assistance! Rescue mission only partial success! We have severe engine trouble due to enemy fire! I say again! We are requesting immediate assistance!" The voice came in over the radio and Panthro immediately picked it up from his seat at the Control Room monitors.

"This is Cat's Lair. We read you. How many souls on board?" He asked as he hit the red alert button causing all of the alarms in the Lair to go off. The sounds of feet hitting the metal floors were soon heard.

"There are three crew members and four rescued passengers," came the reply.

"All right, don't panic. We've got assistance coming your way to accommodate everyone aboard. Stay on your current path," Panthro instructed as he turned to the group that had gathered around him. They didn't even discuss what was needed to be done. They had the information they needed.

"Cat's Lair come in! We just lost our port thrusters! The ability to slow our descent is gone!" The voice once again was filled with panic.

"Empty your trash chute. The blast from that should help you. The ThunderCats are on their way," Panthro said.

"Trash chute away!" The voice told him.

"It bought us only a few seconds…" at this point the voice sounded like the Cat on the other end of it had given up. Then there was silence. The video screen showed the panther everything he needed to know. The HoverCat, ThunderClaw, and ThunderStrike swooped in and quickly aided the ship into a landing out in a field not far from the Lair. The personnel aboard were evacuated and rushed off to the Lair as the chill of the evening autumn breeze.

"Everyone accounted for Lynx-O?" Panthro asked over the radio.

"Have a med team standing by. Three of the rescued Cats are not in good shape," the lynx explained. The panther quickly put in a call to Tygra who was prepping the Med Bay.

"ThunderGuard report to the hanger bay immediately! Personnel requiring transport to the Med Bay!" Panthro made the general announcement.

"Sir! Should we contact King Lion-O?" One of the soldiers, an eager puma by the name of Punthar who was helping in the Control Room asked.

"Put out a radio transmission. It won't be safe for him to travel until the morning anyway," the panther told him.

"Yes, sir," the puma nodded. Quickly he went to work and beamed a transmission to Lion-O who had taken the ThunderTank out to meet the Berbils at their new settlement on New Thundera. He had taken Cheetara with him, as she had been the only one off duty that morning. Ben-Gali, Pumyra, and Lynx-O had not yet arrived until after they left and now the only ones guarding Third Earth were the ThunderGuard.

"King Lion-O, this is Punthar at Cat's Lair. The ship with the rescued personnel has arrived. The mission was not a complete success and Lord Panthro requests your presence as soon as you can safely travel," the puma relayed the message and it went straight into the storage bank in the ThunderTank. It wasn't unusual as the Berbils would have offered their friends a real place to sleep instead of inside the ThunderTank for the evening as the outside temperatures began to drop near freezing. Winter was slowly approaching and the need to travel only when the sun's warmth was around was paramount. It conserved fuel and prevented anyone getting caught in any sudden weather changes. What wasn't exactly usual was the fact that Lion-O was in fact sleeping out in the ThunderTank. He'd packed extra warm clothing and decided it was best for him to bunk out in the Tank's back half. As of late the lion had been plagued with nightmares and he didn't want to wake the village in case he woke up roaring at the top of his lungs. There was a knock on the cold metal shell and he cautiously opened the hatch.

"What are you doing out here my King?" Cheetara asked.

"Protecting everyone else's good night sleep," He gave a slight smile.

"The nightmares again?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, the very same," he nodded, ushering her inside and closing the door. He quickly handed her one of his extra blankets and she wrapped herself up in it before taking a seat on the left side of the tank.

"Perhaps when we get back to the Lair, you should have Tygra give you something to help you sleep," she suggested.

"Perhaps," he nodded as he took his spot on the bench on the right side of the tank. He started to nod off when he suddenly felt something bump into him. Peeled his eyes open and found that the cheetah had snuggled up close.

"It's probably best if we huddle for body heat since we left the wonderful warmth of the hut," she pointed out.

"Excellent point," the lion admitted. What he wasn't about to admit was his feelings on what he thought they should be doing instead.

To Be Continued...


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This chapter could be a little disturbing to some people. Strong T rating for descriptions of violence.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"Good morning Tygra. What do we have?" Panthro asked upon entering the Med Bay.

"Well the crew survived without major injury; a few broken bones but nothing that a cast and a few weeks of light duty won't cure. The rescued cats are in much worse shape than originally anticipated. I fear that the news from the Captain of the rescue vessel isn't good either," the tiger explained.

"What did he say?" The panther wanted to know.

"I think that everyone should be here before I go into all the details but it seems that an old enemy has reared its ugly head once again," Tygra was cryptic and Panthro didn't like the sound of it.

"Show me the patients then," the panther gave him a look. His friend nodded and they headed over across the hall to the recovery rooms. The first cat they came to was Captain Mitsu; he was a liger, with golden stripes.

"He did the best he could to save his ship but there was not much that could be done. He was beaten after he would not tell his captors where they were headed and what their mission was for. By the time he got here, his body was full of infections from cuts he received from lashings and I was forced to amputate his lower left leg just below the knee as the break in the bone had protruded from the skin and the circulation was cut off to his foot. I put him in a medically induced coma but I fear that he won't make it," Tygra explained as they stood in the doorway. Panthro took in the sight before him. Should the Captain survive, the panther figured he should be up for the highest civil award for his bravery. They moved onto the next room where a female tiger was lying in bed. She was awake but staring at the ceiling. She didn't even seem to notice them as they stood in the doorway.

"What is wrong with her?" Panthro asked, very concerned with what appeared to be a lot of swelling going on in her midsection area.

"This is Captain Mitsu's wife, Leliana. She was carrying twin cubs when they were captured. As part of the torture of the Captain, they beat his wife until she miscarried. The swelling is due to an infection set in after they did not treat her for the miscarriage. She has refused to speak one word since regaining consciousness and refuses to look at anyone. I'm calling Third Earth this morning to see if the ThunderGuard psychiatrist has any ideas on how we can help her but for right now, Pumyra is doing her best to make her comfortable," Tygra explained. Panthro shook his head. He did not have a family or cubs yet but he could imagine that the process involved with dealing with such an atrocity would not be easy. It would probably be more painful than anything that could be done to the body.

"Our third patient didn't suffer as much physically as the Captain and his wife and is the reason we know so much about what happened. He is the youngest member of the squad and had only joined the ship for safe passage to Third Earth to join his family. I fear his mental state will also be in question however as they forced him to watch what they were doing to his fellow shipmates. He tells me the remainder of the crew died of their injuries, some when the ship crashed, others at the hands of their captors. It seems that their captors thought that they knew things that they were actually not privy to. After forcing him to watch the torture of the cats he'd gotten to know on the journey they bashed him in the head giving him a nasty concussion and broke his arm. His name is Ta'o," the tiger explained about the young lynx. Panthro heaved a sigh. The ship had escaped the clutches of the destruction of their home planet to float around in space until it heard the signals being sent from Third Earth only to have a large portion of the cats aboard die horrifically.

"Our last patient goes by the name of Leanna. She is a lioness and was their master of arms on the ship. Ta'o says that their captors used her own Kamas against her after she cut down several of those that were attacking the ship, which explains why she has such deep cuts. It appears they cut her to get information. The wounds were deep enough to make her bleed but not enough to make her limbs useless. They treated her however. She had shown signs of healing and little to no infection. However I can only assume that her mental wounds run much deeper. Pumyra had to perform a full exam and I have a bad feeling they were using her for their own sick fantasies. We'll know more after Pumyra is done cataloging all the injuries," Tygra heaved a sigh.

"Lion-O better get here quick. Whomever did this is going to pay," Panthro gritted his teeth.

To Be Continued…


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: A little update before the weekend. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"All right, I want the whole story top to bottom," Lion-O said as he walked into the conference room and sat down in his usual seat. It had taken him and Cheetara three hours to journey back to Cat's Lair and the young Lord's lack of sleep was not helping his mood.

"Here is what we know so far," Panthro cleared his throat and pulled up a map of the planets on the video screen before continuing.

"The ship and her original crew landed on a planet which has no name but is located not far from Third Earth. There the crew found that other Thundarians living on this planet and made it their home base. When they received a signal from Third Earth calling out to any Thundarians in the area to come to Third Earth, the crew boarded their ship and promised to be back to the little colony to pick up everyone. According to the Captain's Log, which he jettisoned to Third Earth upon the attack of their ship, they only took on one passenger whom they allowed because the young cat had no family at the camp and was hoping he had relatives on Third Earth.

"We then received the distress call and everyone went out looking for them. The reason we found them was due to a beacon that the Captain of the ship had in his belt and he activated it. I know we were all wondering why he had a beacon in his belt and I can give you the answer," Panthro clicked the remote and up popped a picture of the clothes removed from the victims upon their entry to New Thundera.

"Great Jaga," Lion-O breathed.

"They were ThunderCats?" Ben-Gali swallowed hard. The picture of the wrecked clothing held the evidence of their savage treatment they had received.

"The Captain was the only commissioned officer in the ThunderCats Air Fleet. The crew underneath him were all ThunderCats in Training," the panther explained.

"Explains the beacon in his belt then but it doesn't explain the attack," Lion-O nodded thoughtfully.

"That is where things get really ugly," Panthro said.

"How ugly?" Lion-O asked.

"The rescue ship sent to their location, which turned out to be one of the moons of Plundarr revealed that we are not through with the Mutants," Tygra told them.

"How can that be?" Cheetara spoke up.

"Captain Cougara of the rescue ship told me that Ta'o told him that the beings they had been rescued from kept asking them where General Slythe was and what happened to the troops he was sent with to chase the ThunderCats. Of course Ta'o could not answer that because he didn't know. When he asked them who they were talking about, they turned their aggression on Captain Mitsu. It is my belief that they thought Ta'o was one of the children of the ThunderCats. They hoped to use him as leverage for something because they could have easily killed him or beaten him to an inch of his life. They did not and I believe that for a similar reason Leanna received treatment after her abuses. My bigger fear is that they will discover what really happened to Slythe and his cronies and free them," Tygra continued on explaining the medical condition of each of his patients both mentally and physically.

"You called one of the patients in your care Leanna?" Lynx-O wanted to know.

"Yes, why?" The orange tiger asked.

"What is it Lynx-O?" Pumyra was concerned about her old friend as he'd grown quiet as if to ponder Tygra's response.

"My King I believe I know why they let Leanna live," the lynx finally spoke up.

"Why old friend?" Lion-O was intrigued by the lynx's behavior. Lynx-O was his only link to his father and if he knew something family related then he'd like to know.

"She is your half-sister," the bomb dropped and everyone looked at the elderly cat with confusion.

To Be Continued…


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Unfortunately before Lynx-O could explain the medical alarms started ringing through the Lair. Tygra cursed under his breath, knowing that only one of his patients was that critical. He and Pumyra were off like shots with the rest of the group bringing up the rear, ready to help if they could.

"Lord Tygra! Captain Mitsu has crashed. We're trying to bring him back but we're getting little response from shocking him," the nurse, a lady panther by the name of Torna, explained.

"What level are you up to in shocking him?" Tygra wanted to know.

"Five hundred," Torna said.

"Use adrenaline. If he does not respond, I'll call it myself," the tiger ordered. She ran off to the patient's room, retrieved the adrenaline from the cart and stabbed the Captain in the heart with the large needle. Pushing the plunger down, they waited. Tygra silenced the medical alarm and moved into the patient's room where Pumyra was already assessing the damage.

"He's back but for how long, I'm not sure. His blood pressure is all over the place and the quick body scan is showing fluid building up in his lungs," Pumyra said.

"Damn it," Tygra shook his head.

"Suggestions?" the puma wanted to know.

"Lift the head of the bed up as high as we can get it so as not to further harm the patient. Bring the ambient temperature up in the room and I want a full in depth scan. He could have a clot somewhere and we haven't seen it yet," the tiger instructed. While the medical crews got to work, Lion-O ventured to the other rooms to get a look at the survivors. Panthro followed him and Lynx-O was right behind. The rest of the cats from the meeting helped the staff get the Captain situated and then returned to their posts. Despite wanting to know everything there was to know about Lion-O's sudden gift of a family member, there was work to be done.

Leliana hadn't moved from her spot despite the bells and alarms and Lion-O looked at Panthro, unsure of what should be done. The panther pulled him aside and explained that they had the therapist coming over from Third Earth to help and he was bringing some of his students so that all the patients could get counselling. Lion-O nodded and they moved onto the next room which they found empty.

"Tygra! We've got a problem!" Panthro shouted down to the tiger who rushed down to where they were to see what the hubbub was about.

"Great Jaga! Where did he go?" The tiger was dumbfounded that no one noticed the young Ta'o had escaped. It had been busy with the Captain having trouble but there was no way the lynx should be out of bed.

"In here Doctor," the voice did not sound familiar to the group but they noticed how Lynx-O's ears twitched. Despite his lack of eyesight the lynx was off faster than they released he could move and they quickly followed him.

"Thank Jaga," the lynx beamed.

"Uncle!" The surprise in her voice was not lost on the three cats that all arrived at the door at the same time, bumping into one another.

"My niece, I cannot believe it is you," Lynx-O smiled. He so desperately wanted to hug the lioness but she had something that Tygra needed to see.

"Ta'o, there you are. Almost gave me a heart attack," Tygra heaved a sigh of relief, when he saw the young lynx lying next to Leanna in her bed. She had one protective arm around him

"When the alarms went off he came running into the room. Was it the Captain? How is he?" She asked.

"He's been better, I can assure you, but we're doing everything we can to help him," the tiger explained.

"You have to help him," Ta'o sniffed.

"We will son but you have to get back to your bed. I'm surprised you managed to get here without throwing up. That concussion you have is quite the doozy," Tygra said.

"I'll get him back to his room," Panthro offered. Carefully he scooped the lynx out of the bed after Leanna moved her arm out of the way. They accidentally brushed against one another and it was as if an electric shock had been sent through them both. The lioness froze and Panthro immediately apologized.

"It's not your fault, I've just been a little on edge," she admitted. For someone who had suffered terrible things, she oddly seemed calm. However the panther had seen it before in those who had fought in battle. On the outside, they were calm but on the inside, they were like ducks whose feet were churning a mile a minute under the smooth glassy surface of a lake.

"It is understandable," Lion-O nodded.

"My King!" It was just now she realized who it was standing next to Tygra.

"At ease. Please call me Lion-O. There is no need to be so formal among ThunderCats," he smiled slightly.

"Lea, I am so sorry," Lynx-O found the edge of the bed and he pulled her into a hug. For the first time since she had arrived, she openly wept.

To Be Continued…


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: A little Thundarian history background here so sorry if it seems long winded. lol**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Lion-O sat patiently in his office, waiting for Lynx-O to come in. Everyone had left the two alone when Lea had finally started to admit that everything she was bottling up was more than she could bear. The lion worried that the psychological damage would be too great and to tell her that she was in fact Thundarian Royalty would just put her over the edge. Yet he wanted to tell her. He wanted to know all about her. After all, she was family.

"Lion-O?" A familiar voice shook him from his thoughts.

"Cheetara, hi. Off duty?" He asked as the cheetah entered the room and took a seat across the desk from him.

"Indeed I am. Thought I would stop by and see if you had dinner yet. You know how Snarf worries and I figured you didn't need that on top of everything going on today," she smiled slightly.

"He does worry an awful lot doesn't he?" He chuckled.

"Well technically he has to fulfill his duty even though at this stage you should be having a mate look after you instead," the statement was kind of bold considering the situation, what with them alone in his office, and the fact that he would have been more than happy to show her just how comfortable that couch against the far wall was.

"I guess I need a lot of taking care of huh?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You are the last of the Kings of Thundera, so a little pampering wouldn't be out of the question," she smirked and he worried that she was reading his mind and all the dirty thoughts that were passing through it.

"Lion-O, you… Oh sorry, I didn't know you had company," Lynx-O said as he stopped in the doorway, sensing that someone else was in the room.

"It is quite all right Lynx-O come in," the young lion said.

"I'll make sure Snarf saves you some dinner," Cheetara winked at him and left the room.

"Thanks," he smiled.

"You know all you have to do is ask, my King, and I am sure that Lady Cheetara would be more than happy to do more than save you some dinner," Lynx-O spoke up. Lion-O's cheeks turned as red as his hair.

"Lynx-O, how can you say such things? She's a lady," the King said.

"She is indeed a lady but sometimes ladies must change their spots. There is a reason they are called 'cougars'," Lynx-O waggled his eyebrows. The lynx had never joked around like this with him and the shock of it all was taking its toll on Lion-O and his embarrassment.

"I imagine Cougars take offense to that," the lion commented.

"Not really since it is true. Anyway, despite the fact that I am blind, I definitely know that tone of voice and what implications it has," the lynx chuckled.

"The business at hand is a little more pressing, don't you think?" Lion-O changed the subject.

"Of course. Lea has definitely been traumatized and I wish I could say that I had a time frame in which things would get better but I fear that it will take years and extensive therapy. She refused to fully explain what happened but Pumyra's physical exam and medical report, give us a pretty good idea," Lynx-O handed over the file he had brought with him.

"Great Jaga," Lion-O whispered as he read the details.

"Pumyra is treating her for any disease that she can think of and I know she would not want me telling you that but it is for her safety until the blood tests come back," there was a pause in the lynx's thoughts and Lion-O could tell he was struggling.

"What is it?" He asked.

"You are the only family she has left. Her mother, Katrina, died some months back of an illness. The cat she knew to be her father, Lionel, never made it off Thundera," the lynx explained.

"Why did she call you Uncle? My father would never have cheated on my mother," the thoughts just tumbled out of Lion-O's mouth.

"The first one is easy. Her mother married a friend that both your father and I shared. I was not Uncle in the blood relative sense but in the 'you're friends with my mother' sense. The second one is a little tougher," Lynx-O paused.

"How much tougher?" The lion wanted to know.

"When your father went off to college, he was told that upon graduation, he would marry a lioness of his father's choosing. It was an ancient practice that was still being followed at the time. Arrangements often were made to strengthen clan ties or the blood line. Back before the destruction of the planet, cats did not marry outside their clan unless it was arranged. I imagine that Captain Mitsu had risen to the rank he did because of his lineage. Two very powerful families who served the King would often intermarry so that the future King's protectors would be the best ThunderCats they could be. It does explain why the mutants treated Ta'o better than the others in the group. Captain Mitsu was not afforded such generosity because of his status. They viewed him as a soldier and as such he was treated however a soldier is treated. Ta'o and your sister could mean large ransom if things had gotten that far," he explained.

"Why then did they kill Mistu's children? Why treat Ta'o better than the Captain?" Lion-O asked.

"I know not of Leliana's lineage but you must understand how our old society worked. Lions are the top of the system. Directly beneath them are lynxes, cheetahs, tigers, and panthers, and then the other species on down the line – in that particular order. A lynx is much more valuable than say a tiger. It is a very flawed system but it was brought on by years of infighting. Back before your grandfather's time, there was a great battle for who would rule Thundera. The lion clans won the right to be Kings and Queens as they defeated all the warring clans and brought the planet together. The new Kind chose a lynx, a cheetah, a tiger, and a panther to be the first ThunderCats. However only those in the first ThunderCat blood lines were considered nobles. Beneath them was everyone else but they would protect everyone, no matter the status of the cat. The color of the pelt or the way someone spoke or the religion they followed was all cause for someone to take offense. Despite the new rules laid down, the first fifty years of the new society was rocked by hate and violence. It was only with the implementation of martial law by your grandfather that put an end to it. However incited with martial law was the community system. Each clan split off and was moved to different portions of the city. Cats only hung out with their own clans and that stopped the violence. After five years, your grandfather lifted the martial law and created new laws for equal protection under the law. He expanded the rules for who could join the ThunderCats and the ThunderGuard. Upon creating a massive army of mixed clans, it was then that cats understood what it was to live together, to fight together, and to rely on one another no matter the species. The racial inequality and bias soon faded into the background. Now it took a long time to get there but the Mutants live in a society that is much like ours was. However they're still like that. They live on a divided planet and that is why we always defeat them. But it is also why they value different kinds of captives," Lynx-O told him.

"Ah, I see. You don't read about that in the history books," Lion-O shook his head.

"Yes well the books you probably read were after your grandfather took over. I learned all of what I told you from my parents. Anyway, your father fell in love with Katrina while they were in college together. They both knew that there was no way for them to be together permanently but they were young and they thought that if there was a chance at happiness then they had to take it. Your grandfather disapproved despite the very good lineage of Katrina's family. When Katrina came to your father and told him she was with cub, he feared that his father would do as the ancient laws required. All children sired out of wedlock by the King or future King would be exiled along with the mother. Exile was carried out off planet in a penal colony on one of Thundera's moons. Needless to say, he did not want that for Katrina. He and Lionel were good friends and they agreed that he would take care of Katrina and the cub. It wasn't hard as Lionel had pined for Katrina since their childhood. She only had eyes of your father but she understood his wishes and she knew that she had to protect her baby. On occasion I would stop by and check up on the little one. We are thankful she looks more like her mother than your father. It was a secret kept between four friends. I am the last of the friends so I pass the knowledge unto you. Do with it whatever you feel you must but it would be my advice to keep it to yourself until the opportune moment. Lea is not strong enough now to handle the truth and your enemies do not need to know either. However I would recommend changing the command logs so that in the event that something happens to you, she would be next in line to be in charge. She has the right above all others," the lynx finished.

"It has left me a lot to think about my friend," Lion-O heaved a sigh.

"Yes it has but I know that just like your father, you will know what to do when the time comes," Lynx-O bowed his head.

To Be Continued…


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: To all my American readers, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! Hope everyone enjoys this chapter. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Pumyra was off doing her rounds after catching a quick catnap. She could not get the lioness's medical exam out of her head and neither could she get the thought that Lion-O was her brother. All the time that she and Ben-Gali had spent with Lynx-O and never once had he mentioned the secrets that he held. She wondered what else the lynx had hidden from them.

"I can hear you thinking in here," Leanna smirked from her bed.

"Is it that obvious?" The puma chuckled.

"It must be something you picked up from my uncle," the lioness teased.

"He is very special to me. He and I along with Ben-Gali spent a long time alone before we were found and rescued by Lion-O and the others," she explained.

"Oh I did not know that. Did he lose his sight while with you?" Leanna asked.

"He did, as we were escaping Thundera. Ben and I did the best we could for him," Pumyra nodded.

"I'm sure you did. I am just glad that he is alive. He is the only family I have left," the lioness sighed. The puma bit her tongue. It was not her place to say anything.

"The ThunderCats will be your new family. We have been though a lot but we face it together. I only wish that we could have helped you and the crew before everything happened," she told her. Leanna only nodded.

"How are you so calm?" Pumyra suddenly blurted. It was highly inappropriate but she worried about her patient's mental state.

"Every time I close my eyes, it all comes rushing back. Little noises make me flinch.

When someone touches me, my head starts screaming that it's happening all over again. I can't explain why," Leanna shrugged.

"The therapist from Third Earth is on his way. Perhaps he can help you work out everything. I wish I could do more for you," Pumyra gave a slight smile.

"You…" she did not finish her sentence as a loud roar ripped through the Lair.

"Lion-O…" the puma said. She immediately stood up but she did not move as silence suddenly returned to the Lair.

"Is he all right?" Leanna asked.

"He's been plagued with nightmares as of late. He has asked the Sword for help. He's gone to the Book of Omens but there is still no answer to the problem. Even the sedatives that Tygra has tried have not kept the dreams away. I fear that without the proper sleep, his health will suffer. The only thing that seems to calm him down is well she's not a thing… she's a cheetah," Pumyra seemed embarrassed.

"Ah I see. Is she the Lady Cheetara that once served with King Claudus?" Leanna asked.

"The very same," the puma nodded.

"My mother told me that she has special powers. Could she not use them to help?" the lioness wondered.

"I'm afraid not. Her powers don't work that way and unfortunately they often come at quite the physical cost. All I know is she is able to calm him down after the terror that gripes him. He says that the nightmare doesn't change. He dreams of sleeping in his bed when someone enters his room. For some reason he cannot get out of bed as the being comes closer and closer, the blade in their hands is obviously the Sword of Omens. This being plunges it into him and he watches as he bleeds to death, helpless to do anything. No matter what he does, the dream doesn't change. The only problem is the only cat able to hold the Sword is…" she stopped short.

"Himself," Lea finished. Pumyra only nodded wondering just how much of the dream was a dream and how much it was a premonition.

To Be Continued…


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry this is late. Things have been a little nutty...**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

The morning brought little relief for the sleep deprived lion. The therapist from Third Earth would be landing shortly and Lion-O wondered if he should talk to him. If he didn't get sleep soon, his body would stop working and he could not continue as Lord of the ThunderCats.

"My King…" the voice was soft but sure from the warm body lying next to him.

"You really need to call me Lion-O," he teased.

"You deserve the respect with the title. More importantly, what are we going to do about your lack of sleep?" Cheetara asked.

"I have no idea. I am affecting everyone around me. Worse still, we could have Mutants coming this way any day now," he heaved a sigh and buried his face in his large hands.

"Let us deal with what we can deal with," the cheetah pointed out. A knock came on the bedroom door and Lion-O left the warmth of the bed and quickly threw on his robe to cover his pajama bottoms and bare muscular chest. Cheetara was still in her uniform. She had taken to sleeping with it on in case she was needed by Lion-O.

"Pumyra, good morning," the lion smiled slightly.

"How are you?" She asked, nervous.

"I've been better," he admitted.

"Yes well after I tell you what thoughts I had earlier, you might be worse," the puma heaved a sigh.

"Lay it on me. It really can't get that much worse," he chuckled despite the situation. She nods and quickly explains the horrible thought about the lion's new found sister.

"Great Jaga," he collapses into a nearby chair.

"My thoughts exactly. Now obviously she has no idea that she could do that but I worry that we have no idea how she'll react to her surroundings in case of Mutant attack. She may lash out and the Sword could react to her being in danger or what she perceives as danger," Pumyra pointed out.

"Very true. Hopefully the therapist can help her," Cheetara said.

"I am hoping so. He should be here…" she never got to finish her sentence as the Lair's alarms sounded.

"That's not good," Lion-O shook his head as they left the room and rushed toward the control room.

"What's going on?" Cheetara asked.

"Unauthorized entry into our air space. I get no response from the ship and my guess is that we've got a serious problem on our hands," Panthro said.

"Arm the Catapults. Get the ThunderGuard into position. Sound for everyone in the surrounding areas to head for shelter," Lion-O barked out orders.

"Done, done, and done," the panther nodded.

"Can you zoom in on the ship?" Tygra asked as he squinted at the vehicle. Panthro did so and it was obvious to them that the ship was not friendly.

"The second this thing comes in range of the weapons, fire a warning shot," Lion-O commanded.

"Weapons primed and ready. Still no response despite multiple attempts in multiple dialects," Punthar explained.

"Something is off," Ben-Gali commented.

"You're right. If the Mutants were coming, they wouldn't use only one ship," Lynx-O nodded.

"So what is this?" Lion-O asked.

"I have no idea. I reached the ship from Third Earth and told them to report what's around them but they say they are alone and about an hour out," Panthro explained.

"Firing warning shot," Punthar interrupted. The radio crackled to life but all they got was static.

"Send up ships and force that ship to land," Lion-O demanded.

To Be Continued…


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The ThunderCats exited the Lair and rushed over to where the ThunderGuard had forced the ship to land. Their blasters were raised and the silence that suddenly enveloped them once all the vehicle engines had ceased was ominous.

"My name is Lion-O. I am King of New Thundera and Lord of the ThunderCats. Come out of your ship with your hands up and no one will get hurt," the lion spoke up, slicing the silence with his voice. The response was to have the loading bay doors of the ship and to their surprise, Cats emerged.

"Lower your weapons," Lion-O ordered to the ThunderGuard.

"My King, I am sorry for our approach. The Cats aboard mean no one any harm," a lion who seemed to be in charge of the group explained.

"Lower your hands fellow Thunderians. I apologize for our reaction to your ship but I must admit we have never seen one like it and it certainly did not look friendly," Lion-O told them.

"We did that on purpose my King. We did not know what we would find out in space nor when we landed," the lion admitted.

"Then we must congratulate you on a job well done," Panthro spoke up.

"Thank you my Lord," the lion gave a nod.

"Forgive me but who are you and your group of Thunderians?" Tygra inquired. He'd been eyeing them since they landed. It looked as though quite a few of them would need medical attention due to lack of nutrition.

"Forgive me, my Lord. Where are my manners?" The lion swallowed which seemed to be painful for him before continuing.

"I am Locta. We are but a small group of refugees from a planet not far from what is called Third Earth."

"You'll have to forgive me but it looks as though your crew is in need of medical attention," Pumyra interjected.

"I fear most of us do require assistance, Milady. We are all that is left. I fear the worst for our brothers and sisters who left to find us help," Locta explained.

"Let's get everyone inside and you can tell us all about it. I want beds made up and food prepared for those that can eat," Lion-O stopped the conversation and the group was herded inside. Tygra and Pumyra got to work with the medical staff and called for assistance from the hospital.

"Well what is the scoop on their condition?" Lion-O asked Tygra when the tiger had a moment.

"Malnutrition mostly. Some have organ failure which we're trying to stop but I fear that we might lose some of them. I don't understand why they didn't land on Third Earth. They had to fly right by it. Doctor Sepa would have been able to aid some of them much sooner. A few have dysentery which is curable but again they could have been well days ago," the tiger shook his head.

"I'll admit is seems odd that they didn't go there but their ship is odd as well. It is definitely not of Thunderian make. I have Panthro and Ben-Gali checking it out as we speak," the lion nodded.

"Perhaps they found it on the planet they were on and were just lucky enough to get it to fire up. That would explain the fact that they didn't respond to our calls. Unseasoned crew flying a ship they do not know how to work…" Tygra shrugged.

"It is a good point. I imagine the navigation would have been tricky as well. All I know is, I want the full story," Lion-O told him before going to find Locta.

To Be Continued…


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Just to let everybody know, this may be the last chapter I get a chance to post before Christmas. I hope you all enjoy it and I hope those of you who will be celebrating as I will be, have a wonderful holiday. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"How are you feeling?" Lion-O asked the leader of the little band of refugees. Locta had been hooked up to the machines around him and was receiving nutrition intravenously.

"Better surprisingly, my King. How are the rest of the Cats?" The lion wanted to know.

"We're doing all we can. Some are not as severe as others but with any luck Lord Tygra and Lady Pumyra will have everyone feeling better soon. I have some questions for you and I was hoping that you'd be up for answering them," Lion-O went to the point for the visit.

"I will do my best Sire," Locta smiled slightly.

"Excellent. Now where did you get that ship you were flying?" The King asked.

"I must confess that we built it. Both ships crash landed on the planet and were not able to be flown on their own again," Locta paused to lick his lips.

"What kind of ships had you escaped the planet in?" Lion-O inquired.

"I believe that to be the cause of the difficulty. My family and I escaped in a short range vehicle. Luckily we were able to escape that ship and board another that was larger but it was overcrowded and the entire vessel was overtaxed. There were mothers and small children sharing suspension capsules and sometimes two teenagers to a capsule; anything we could do to get everyone inside one. The weight of the ship, however, was its ultimate downfall as when we entered the planet's atmosphere, the thrusters could not accommodate and many were killed upon impact. The ship broke into hundreds of pieces and it could never fly again. Shortly after we landed another ship came into view. With our radio broken, we could not contact them. Their ship landed slightly more successfully but an engine fire broke out. Fortunately the extinguishing systems put out most of it but we lost some Cats to the acrimonious smoke and some to severe burns. From there our little group consisted of about two hundred. We created a little village and tried to salvage what we could from the ships. The planet was a harsh one however and after the first rainy season, we lost about twenty Cats. The flu ran rampant and the medicines we had were in short supply. The food on the planet had to be tested as far as edibility and we didn't find much that the local animals would eat. Luckily there were animals we could kill to eat but unfortunately some of them killed and ate us.

"By the time Captain Mitsu arrived we were down to only a hundred. It was by the grace of Jaga that he found us and with the help of his crew we were able to save some of the sick. He and the crew helped us to build that ship because their ship would not be big enough. It wasn't ready to fly when the signal came from Third Earth saying that there were others and they would accept us with open arms. We were so thrilled. Captain Mitsu promised to send ships back for us but they never came. We worked hard and finally got the ship in working order with the tools that he had left behind," Locta explained.

"So when the time came, you bypassed Third Earth and headed here," Lion-O said.

"We did because we feared that perhaps the message had been sent out by those who were trying to lure us to our deaths. Since we were going to die anyway, we thought we should try to head for New Thundera," the lion told him.

"Well there's a reason that Captain Mitsu didn't make it back and it wasn't because of the peoples on Third Earth. We were able to rescue him and what remained of his crew but I fear those left will be scarred for the rest of their lives," Lion-O heaved a sigh.

"They did not abandon us?" Locta asked.

"They certainly didn't intend to. They were attacked by the enemy. I am sorry for all that you and the others have gone through. Now please rest and we'll talk some more later," the King smiled slightly. Locta nodded, his mind now raced with new questions. Lion-O headed out the door of the little room and practically bumped into Pumyra.

"Hey there, everything ok?" He asked her.

"Sorry, I just can't get over what I've seen in the last few days. That and Leanna has asked to speak with me. I worry that she didn't have a good appointment with Doctor Pungali," the puma admitted.

"Well see to her. Let me know if I can do anything. I'm heading to check on Panthro and Ben-Gali," the lion told her. She nodded and headed down the hall. Lion-O heaved a sigh before heading out of the medical bay.

To Be Continued…


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Happy New Year Everyone! :)**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"Evening boys. How's things?" Lion-O asked as he walked into hangar bay.

"Evening Lion-O," Ben-Gali poked his head up from the piece of the ship he was working on. He had oil all over him and the lion couldn't help but chuckle.

"I think somebody should have gone with the body suit instead of the overalls," Lion-O smirked.

"I warned him but he said something about having Pumyra help him get it off," Panthro chuckled.

"Oh and how would he manage that considering he hasn't even asked her out on a date?" The lion wanted to know.

"Well you know there's something about a grubby man, I guess," Panthro smirked.

"Hardy har har. Both of you should talk. You, Mr. I can't ask Cheetara out even though she's practically living with me," Ben-Gali pointed his wrench at Lion-O before continuing, "And you, Mr. I have the hots for Lion-O's half-sister." The tiger smirked as Lion-O turned to the panther, his mouth hanging toward the floor.

"Whoa, hey now. There was a spark but I'm not saying that it wasn't just some momentary fleeting moment," Panthro said.

"They mean the same thing. Methinks I hit the nerve. You repeat yourself when backed into a corner," Ben-Gali chuckled. Lion-O was still standing there unsure of what to do especially given the circumstances of Leanna's arrival.

"Why is Lion-O trying to catch flies with his mouth?" Cheetara asked as she interrupted the men. The lion immediately clamped his mouth shut.

"Oh just a little poking fun going on. To what do we owe the pleasure Cheetara?" Ben-Gali smiled.

"Lynx-O couldn't get a hold of our King via the video screen down here. You guys didn't hear it ringing?" She asked, sensing that something was definitely up.

"It's broken, I've been meaning to fix it," Panthro admitted.

"Mr. Fix It didn't fix it?" Cheetara looked at the three of them, one eyebrow cocked.

"Well we've been busy as of late," Lion-O said.

"Uh huh well anyway, Lynx-O said that when you had a moment, he wanted to talk to you," the cheetah let him know.

"Very good. I'll track him down shortly. Thanks," the lion smiled.

"Great. So what do we have here?" The cheetah wondered.

"A miracle of flight. This bucket of bolts is a disaster waiting to happen," Panthro said, glad for the change of subject.

"He's right. Definitely put together by Cats who didn't know what they were doing," Ben-Gali nodded.

"Well that means that Locta was telling the truth," Lion-O was glad to hear it.

"I think that without Captain Mitsu they would have been stuck on that miserable planet," Panthro explained.

"And they most certainly would have died," Cheetara said.

"I only hope that the Captain survives so that I can tell him the good news. Thanks gentlemen. I'm off to speak with Lynx-O. Panthro make sure you get that video screen fixed and see me when you're done," with that the lion turned around and headed out.

"What was that about?" The cheetah wanted to know.

To Be Continued…


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Sorry this is so late! I had some massive writer's block. Hope you like it. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

"Lynx-O, what's on your mind?" Lion-O asked as he approached the lynx who was sitting in the library listening to the audio conversion of one of the ancient texts. In her spare time, Pumyra had taken up reading the books into a recorder so that Lynx-O could listen to them if he ever wanted to. It had been a gift that the lynx cherished greatly and Lion-O knew that the puma had done it out of love. During their time alone, Ben-Gali, Pumyra, and Lynx-O had formed a bond that most families would be jealous of and it was quite obvious that the relationship was one of father to daughter and son.

"Lion-O, thank you for seeing me," the lynx smiled and stopped the recording.

"Anytime, you know that," the lion was puzzled as to why his friend would think it such an inconvenience.

"Yes, well I know you have a lot on your plate," the elder Cat smiled as the King took the seat next to him.

"When is there not a lot on my plate?" Lion-O chuckled.

"True," Lynx-O smirked before continuing,

"The appointment with the doctor didn't go so well today for Lea."

"Pumyra said that she didn't think it did. Although apparently Lea wanted to speak with her not too long ago," the lion said.

"I imagine it has to do with her trauma. The good Doctor Pungali filled me in on the visit despite his usual patient confidence standards. He usually would not say anything but he worries that he may not be able to help Lea. She is severely depressed and has post-traumatic stress like what he would see in his combat patients back on Thundera. She needs medication and therapy, if she'll actually participate," Lynx-O heaved a sigh.

"She gave him a hard time?" Lion-O asked.

"The walls have been building since the first time they hurt her. She puts on a brave face and she acts as though she can handle it but the emotional toll has the Doctor worried. She's internalizing and I fear that the walls won't come down," the lynx admitted.

"She is definitely my father's daughter," the lion nodded.

"That she is. Your father was a great cat but he kept a lot inside," his friend agreed.

"I appreciate you telling me this Lynx-O. I know it can't be easy," Lion-O gave him a slight smile.

"Well you are the only actual family she has left. You deserve to know," Lynx-O said.

"I just wish I could help her," the lion heaved a sigh.

"I know you do. All anyone can do is be there for her," the elder cat nodded.

"Very true," Lion-O agreed as he stood from his seat.

"See what Pumyra has to say. Perhaps she can be more helpful," Lynx-O suggested.

"I will. Have a good night my friend," the lion said.

"And you as well my King," the lynx nodded before turning the recording. It was then that Lion-O realized what his friend was listening to – a text on psychology. Heaving a sigh, he headed off to the med bay.

Half way down the hall, he felt lightheaded. The lack of sleep was definitely getting to him. Pausing in the hallway, he furiously blinked his eyes, trying to regain his balance as his vision blurred. He could feel the contents of his stomach crawling up his throat, trying to wash up against his back teeth. Trying to swallow it back down, he put one foot in front of the other, grabbing onto the railing. The world continued to spin and the back of his throat felt as if he didn't empty it, it would explode. Losing what little was in his stomach, the lion slumped to the floor.

To Be Continued…


End file.
